Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current position in regard to the recovery of alleged overpayments in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11751/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

The person concerned was assessed with an overpayment of Jobseeker’s Allowance of €153,702.20 and a deduction (€20) is currently in place from their weekly CA payment.

The Debt Recovery Unit in Longford wrote to the person concerned on 5 October 2022 to carry out a periodic review of the overpayment plan. Though the Department can deduct up to 15% of the person’s primary payment (€35 per week in this case), the result of this review was that the rate of repayment remained unchanged at €20 per week. The person concerned was notified of this decision and of their right to review or appeal on 13 January 2023.

As of 6 March 2023, the outstanding overpayment stood at €151,059.10.

The Debt Recovery Unit in Longford will engage with the person concerned on foot of any new information or correspondence it receives and will take into consideration any financial burden the person is experiencing as a result.

Any new repayment plan applied will need to be reasonable in relation to the person concerned and to the Department. As with all debts owed to the Department, the Minister must make every effort to recover debts in full and debts will remain until fully recovered.